


An FBI agent raises a CIA agent

by Quinis



Category: Chuck (TV), White Collar
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Neal Caffrey is Bryce Larkin, Peter raises Neal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-01-02 08:46:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21158858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quinis/pseuds/Quinis
Summary: Peter joins the FBI. Something comes up in his history check & WITSEC wants to talk to him. Bryce Larkin, born Neal Caffrey, is raised by his Uncle Peter and gives him more headaches than the poor agent deserves.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KeJae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeJae/gifts).

**Happy Birthday KeJae!**

* * *

**Part 1**

* * *

When Peter joined the FBI, something unusual came up in his background check. It wasn't enough to keep him from getting the job. Or so they told him.

What Peter didn't understand was why it required another meeting. And with WITSEC there as well.

The WITSEC officer looked like he could pass for a prison guard.

They handed Peter a file.

"What's this?"

"Information on Bryce Larkin."

The name meant nothing to Peter. He opened the file and was greeted with a picture of a little boy. The boy's birth name was 'Neal Caffrey'. Caffrey, like the name Peter's sister had after she married her husband. That had not turned out well.

"I know all this," he said, passing the folder back. He had been made aware when his sister died and her son had been placed in the program. He had been told that he would never see Neal again.

"We're looking to remove Bryce from Ellen's care."

"What?" Peter had left Neal with Ellen because she had seemed ready to care for him! Peter had been stupid and still in high school, nowhere need ready for a child he didn't have to take in. "What did she do to him?"

The WITSEC agent's face went from shock to understanding. "Oh no! Nothing like that! She cares for him, except she keeps triggering exposure risks because she's attempting to investigate what happened. We have to keep moving them and we're worried for the boy's safety."

"If she agrees, I'll take him." Peter had promised his sister as much. Now that he had a job with the FBI and Neal was now a little older, he was certain that he could make it work to Neal's benefit. Leaving Neal with Ellen had been a tough decision even though, looking back, Peter knew it had been the correct one. He had been a child himself when his sister died.

* * *

They couldn't change Neal's name back. Even though he was going to live with his uncle, he was still in the WITSEC program. So Peter Burke got his small flat ready for a child and circulated the rumour that he was becoming a foster parent.

Finally, the day came. Peter's heart was pounding in his chest whenever he thought about it. The doorbell went off and he opened the door to Ellen and Bryce.

He hadn't expected the wave of nostalgia when he saw Ellen. He greeted her with a hug, like they were old friends.

"We really should meet up for a drink now that you're drinking age," Ellen commented as she let him go and pushed Bryce forward. "Bryce, this is your Uncle Peter. He's going to be looking after you from now on."

Bryce gripped Ellen's pants and looked at Peter with narrow blue eyes. "No, I don't want to. I promise to be good Ellen, don't give me away."

"That's not what's happening dear," Ellen said softly, kneeling down to wipe the growing teardrops from Bryce's eyes. "You remember me talking about the bad people who killed your dad? I'm going to go after them. Your Uncle Peter will make sure you're looked after with food and school while I'm doing that."

"Noooo," Bryce moaned, wrapping his arms tightly around Ellen.

Peter had no clue what to do. Maybe they should leave the kid with Ellen if he was going to act like this when separated? But the decision had already been made and the officers from WITSEC weren't going to just let him change his mind right now. So he had to find a way to get Bryce to calm down. "Did you know that your Uncle Peter is in the FBI? He was hunting down criminals just like your dad." Peter winced at the second mention of the dirtbag who married his sister.

"I'm still hunting down criminals." All he had done was switch from Organised Crime to White Collar. It was less dangerous and Peter had to think about Bryce now too.

"Yes, Uncle Peter's criminals don't wave guns around to get what they want. They're more insidious."

"What does that mean?" Bryce asked, eyes dry now that his focus was on something else.

"It means they use more creative plans to get what they want. Sometimes they spend months worming their way to what they want."

Bryce had a thoughtful frown on his face. "What does that mean?"

Ellen laughed and picked Bryce up. She 'umphed' and wobbled a little as Bryce was getting too big to carry. He was in school after all.

"Maybe Uncle Peter can tell you a story about the criminals he's caught?" Ellen suggested as she walked Bryce into the house.

"I don't know if they're good stories for children," Peter commented. Ellen smirked at him.

"We can make them interesting. I'll teach you."

Peter never did master that skill. However, as Bryce grew up with him, Bryce automatically learned the stories of the criminals Peter caught as he mulled over cases at home.

* * *

Maybe it had been a bad idea to misappropriate FBI resources to learn more about Elizabeth Mitchell. While her workplace had been the site of a crime, she had only been a witness and was cleared of all suspicion. But, she was smart and Peter like smart.

"What's that?" Bryce asked. The now-teenager pushed his weight down on Peter's shoulders as he tried to figure out why Peter was looking at a picture of a woman holding a sign.

"Kiddo, you're crushing me."

Bryce started laughing. "If that's all it takes to bring the great Special Agent down, then I have a career as a future criminal!"

"Oh please no," Peter responded half-heartedly. While he didn't approve of Bryce's desired career path, he certainly didn't want to see his boy become a criminal.

"But, seriously Peter, who is she? That's the case file for that jewellery robbery, right?"

"Right. She's a witness."

"A witness the FBI took a photo of holding a sign. She loves Italian, right?" Bryce's face lit up as he connected the dots. "Oh! You've been talking about an Italian place lately. Maybe you should take her?" Seeing Peter's face go red, he laughed. "You want to take her, don't you? Go ahead! One of us should be getting some!"

Peter sighed at the attitude of teenagers. "Don't be so crude. She's smart and I enjoyed talking to her."

"My point stands, take her out for dinner or something. She's obviously into it!"

Peter sighed. "What about you?"

"What about me? I'll boot up the computer and game all night-"

"I'll be home by 11 and you better be in bed by then."

"Spoilsport. Wait. Did you already ask her out?"

"No. I'll do it tomorrow."

* * *

It was almost Bryce's 18th birthday. Peter had no idea what to do with the teenager. He was almost like Peter had been back then; so confident that he knew what he wanted to do with his life. He was so confident that he could make a great police officer but that didn't stop both Peter and Ellen from worrying. He couldn't be a police officer; his coworkers would eventually piece together his history and that would be the end of his career. Cops weren't kind to the kids of dirty cops.

Peter and Ellen had many fights about that as well. Peter hated that she spun the narrative of James Bennett Caffrey; known just as 'James Bennett' at work. A narrative that painted Neal's father as a well meaning but in over his head cop who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Ellen insisted that was the case. Peter suspected otherwise. But he couldn't voice his thoughts to Bryce. Their relationship had been strained through the existing fights about whether Bryce should become a cop and when Peter was going to introduce him to Elizabeth. Peter didn't want to add another fight on top of that.

Peter and Elizabeth had been dating for a couple of months and Peter was waiting until after Bryce's 18th to introduce them. Bryce didn't like that, thinking that Peter was putting his own life on hold because of him. Peter wasn't having any luck convincing him otherwise.

* * *

Peter woke up on the day after Bryce's 18th birthday feeling like something had changed. Maybe it was because Bryce was now able to make the decision to go back to being Neal if he wanted.

However, things had changed. Peter found a note from Bryce on the table. Bryce had left. In the note he mentioned learning the truth in his letter before saying that he was going to travel for a bit and try something new.

What had Ellen done?

Peter grabbed the letter and made his way to Ellen's place.

He pounded on Ellen's door until she opened it.

"You'll disturb the neighbours," she said.

"What did you say to Bryce?" Peter demanded to know. Truthfully, he could care less about the neighbours. Ellen could deal; Bryce was more important.

"I told him the truth. That his father wasn't the hero he thought he was." She couldn't even look him in the eye.

Peter was furious. "You mean the lie that you told him? I kept the secret because of you and you decide to just tell him? And now he's run away."

"I didn't want him to run away. I just wanted him to have all the information before he became a cop."

"Do you really think he's going to be a cop now?" Peter huffed. "Where would he go?"

"You raised him. Where do you think he would go?"

Peter's fists were clenched and he was almost ready to hit her if it would get him answers. She was just as defensive and he knew that, if she believed he was going to hit her, she would hit first.

"He would still be here, if you hadn't raised him on stories of his heroic father!"

"You weren't there! I had to raise a squirming toddler who didn't understand I wasn't his mother! What would you have told him?"

"Nothing! I didn't know his father! But at least I wouldn't have lied to him! At the very least, you shouldn't have told him like that. I deserved to be there." With that said, he stormed off. He had half a mind to not tell her if he did find Bryce. After all, he could call the marshals and ask. Peter was an FBI agent, there was no running from him. He would eventually catch up.

* * *

Peter found Bryce quickly. In Bryce's defence, he wasn't trying to hide after he was settled at Stanford.

_Stanford_! Giddily, Peter wondered how Bryce had managed to keep his admission there secret.

"You didn't have to fly all the way out here," Bryce said when he opened the door to see Peter standing there. He didn't even seem surprised to see him.

"I think I did. Don't leave like that again," Peter said in warning. "I was frantic."

"I can guess. How'd you find me?"

"The marshals."

"I figured they would tell you." Bryce opened the door. "Well, come on in."

The place was filled with young men, all at various stages of their intellectual journeys.

"I'm proud of you. Getting admitted here can't have been easy."

"To be honest," and Bryce lowered his voice so that no one else would hear and get offended, "I was just going through the motions. I had the scores needed and my career counsellor suggested it."

"I told you track was a good thing to have on your resume."

Bryce laughed and it felt the same as always. "I know! And you were right."

"Still can't believe you kept it from me."

"Sorry. It just happened." Peter doubted that. There had to be some kind of conscious thought from Bryce. However, he decided to let it go. In a way, Peter had gotten what he was after. Bryce wasn't aiming to be a cop anymore.

Bryce took Peter up to his room. It was a two-bedroom room with the other side looking messy compared to Bryce's perfectly ordered side.

"What's your roommate like?"

"Chuck?" Bryce lit up. "He's pretty cool. You know that Zork game I used to play on your computer all the time?"

"The one I couldn't get a hang of?"

"That's most of my game library, Uncle. It was the text-based one. Anyway, Chuck's a fan too."

Peter nodded, glad that Bryce seemed to have a friend he was getting along with.

* * *

El met Peter at the airport when his plane landed.

"How'd it go?" she asked him. Peter had a grin on his face and he shook his head in a fond way.

"He got me. Not only is he not on the run, he's happily working toward becoming a game programmer."

El was surprised. "I thought you said he wanted to be a cop."

"I did. It seems he met a friend who made him rethink his goals. Now they're looking at maybe starting a company when they graduate."

"That won't be easy," El mused. "But if anyone can do it, your Bryce can."

Peter agreed with that. He felt light at the thought of Bryce making it in a job that wouldn't have him risking his life around people who didn't care about him.

* * *

Time continued on. Peter married El, El finally met Bryce before the wedding and Peter purchased the little townhouse what would become their home. Even if Bryce wasn't about to move back in.

He did leave them a parting gift before heading back to Stanford. The golden retriever puppy had almost given Peter a heart attack as it leapt onto his bed in the morning.

Over a year later, Hughes pulled Peter into his office.

"As you know, I have some friends at the NSA."

Peter nodded for him to continue. After all, he had no clue what this had to do with him or any of the cases he was working.

"The NSA and the CIA have joined up for a group task. Each agency assigned one agent. You know James Bonds?"

"Of course." Peter had taken the case from another, less enthusiastic agent.

"He's the CIA agent."

Peter's internal thoughts screeched to a halt. A singular curse word echoed in the silence of his head.

"What do we know about him?" Information first. Action later.

Hughes pulled out the file and opened it. "You're really not going to like this." He passed Peter the file. "Recruited at Stanford. A B Larkin."

"B Larkin?" Peter felt a familiar feel. It was similar to the feeling he got when he learnt that Bryce had forced a bus pass so he could get to and from school without bothering him. "Sorry Hughes, but I'm taking some of my vacation days."

"I thought as much. Do I need to contact the NSA and get the FBI added to this inter-agency case?"

"Not yet. Let me talk to him first." Peter picked up the files. "Can I take these?"

"Sure. The usual confidential requirements apply."

"Good thing this B Larkin has a security clearance almost on par with mine."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be out of town next week as I'm heading to Brisbane (Australia, in case you didn't know). So there will probably be a delay in the next chapter. Hopefully Nanowrimo doesn't hit too hard and I can finish this one off before December.

Peter knocked on the door to Bryce's fraternity. Unlike last time, when the young men guided him in and called Bryce, they just let him in with a grunt and a 'you know where to go.'

It worried him. This place just seemed darker. No one hung around to talk to him and they all seemed to ignore him.

"Hey, Peter," Bryce said simply when he opened his door to Peter.

"Hey. Can I come in?"

Bryce hesitated for a moment before opening the door wide. "What brings you here?" he asked.

"What happened to Chuck?" Chuck's side of the room was noticeably barren. Even the mattress had been stripped.

"He was kicked out for cheating." That line had a rehearsed feel to it. How many people had Bryce explained that to?

"Huh. And that didn't have anything to do with the CIA?"

Bryce looked shocked. "What do you mean?" He took one look at the papers Peter had brought with him and caved. "Okay, so I joined the CIA."

"I noticed."

"I admit, I couldn't let go of my dream to be a cop. The CIA is giving me a way of helping people."

"By committing crimes?" Peter held out the files on the 'James Bonds' case.

Bryce took the file and flipped through. "James Bonds. That's cool!" He glanced up to see Peter's disapproving look. "I mean… that's horrible? Although, it's not like forging bonds hurts anyone."

"It hurts the jobs of everyone at the bank. It hurts people's trust in them." Peter sighed. "Why didn't you think about that Bryce?"

"I did! It's just part of the mission though. It makes sense in context!"

"What's the context?"

"...catching the eye of my NSA coworker and proving that the bonds that couldn't be forged, could be forged. I can pass you the mission files."

"Do so. And don't be surprised when the new collaborating FBI agent gets in contact with you."

"New what?"

"The FBI is joining in on this little inter-agency operational team you're on."

"Please tell me I'm not dealing with Hughes." Hughes always made Bryce nervous. He had tried to explain it to Peter when he was younger by comparing Hughes to the Principal of his school.

"You're dealing with the agent who took the James Bonds case."

Bryce quickly flipped through the files to see who that was. He relaxed a little, even though he didn't seem too pleased. "You know that this is going to be mainly run by the CIA and they don't play by the book right?"

"We'll see about that," Peter commented. "After all, I'm here now with all of that, aren't I?"

Bryce looked at all the gathered files and sighed. His uncle had a point. However, Agent Winters, the NSA agent, wasn't going to be happy about this.

* * *

Agent Winters, better known as 'Mozzie', looked up at Peter and tried to be intimidating.

"Suit. You're not needed for this mission."

"I'm here anyway," Peter countered. Bryce, now Neal, ignored them both as he went over information on Adler.

"We have a new case," he reminded them. However, he did thank Peter for coming.

"I got your message," Peter said, holding up the sucker Neal had passed him outside the bank. "You know the FBI has your face now?"

Neal shrugged. "I can work around that. After we clear the Alder case, Neal Caffrey will disappear again."

"Have I mentioned how much I dislike you using your birth name for this?"

"Many a time," Mozzie said in a huff. "How did you pass the message to meet to the Suit in a lollypop?"

"I had a place and time printed on a piece a paper that I wrapped around the stick," Neal responded. "I was going to palm it and pass it to him by shaking his hand but I saw the suckers and had a better idea."

"It was the worst idea! Now that FBI has your face, your movements will be restricted."

Neal looked to Peter for back up. However, he should have expected the response he got;

"Agent Winters is correct." Mozzie basked in being right but didn't comment on it. Peter continued, "you're the one who took this path, I'm sure you can figure it out. El's getting tired of you giving me late nights as I get paperwork done."

"No worries. I just have to get access to Adler's accounts and then this case will be done. The next couple of months will be difficult but then it'll all be over."

* * *

The doorbell rang. The chime was loud even with the rain outside. Peter opened it to a pizza delivery. He was about to say he didn't order pizza, when he caught a glimpse of the delivery man's face under the raincoat hood.

"Come in," he said instead, letting Neal into his house. "El, we have pizza!"

"I thought you were cooking?" El came into the room. She didn't immediately recognise Neal.

"Hi Auntie El," Neal said as he pulled off his hood. "Don't worry about the pizza, it's mostly wires and files."

El chuckled. "That's fine then. I'll just have Peter's roast. You two can share."

The three of them sat at the table, sharing a room together for the first time in years.

"Sorry for running off," Neal said awkwardly.

"It's fine. You came back for our wedding."

"I'd prefer it if you visited more often," Peter pointed out. "But I think I would prefer it under better circumstances. You seem upset."

Neal was surprised. "Nothing gets past you, huh?"

"Not when it comes to you. I did raise you for a good chunk of your life. Now, stop dodging the question. What happened?"

"Adler made me. I have no clue when but he figured out that Neal Caffrey is a conman and arranged a trap. Now he's gone and the CIA and NSA are considering this inter-agency operation to have been a failure."

"What about the FBI?" El asked, looking at Peter.

"We move a little slower since we don't work around the clock. I'm guessing I'll know by tomorrow."

Neal ran his hands through his hair, cursing. "If I had just moved faster. We had him! But I hesitated."

El asked why and Peter explained that Neal had found himself attracted to Kate, one of Adler's inner circle. It was the first time Neal had felt romantic feelings for another person and he hadn't wanted to lose that.

"I lost that anyway. Kate won't stay with me after this. We'll both be jobless."

"Neal. You have a job," Peter pointed out.

"Not for much longer. The CIA wants me to keep playing Neal Caffrey. I can't run around committing crimes."

"So the inter-agency operation is a failure but they're going to keep it going?" El questioned.

"Seems like it. Doesn't stop Mozzie and myself from pulling out if we want." Neal glanced at Peter, the third member of their little operation.

"Don't leave yet. Let's see what the FBI's reaction to this is."

* * *

The FBI's reaction was chaos. After all, Adler ran off and his ponzi scheme collapsed. Many people were left without jobs, without money and without value to their stocks. This was billions of missing dollars and years of work landing in the FBI's lap.

Peter's work with the CIA and NSA skated under the radar.

"Everyone's eyes are on Alder. At this point, Caffrey has dropped down the priority list for a couple of months at least. Your work with the NSA and CIA can continue, just keep me up to date," Hughes said when Peter asked him about it the next day. "But, for goodness sakes, if you find Alder, let us in on it. The CIA and NSA don't have to suffer the weight of this fallout; we do."

Peter changed the phrasing when he spoke to Neal. "You could probably walk into the office right now and no one would care unless they figured out your connection to Adler."

Neal snorted at that. "I guess I'll have to do something big to catch the FBI's eye again, huh?"

"Don't make it too big. The paperwork on Adler alone is going to take me months."

"Make sure you go home to El. Paperwork can be done at the dinner table, you know?"

"Of course I know." Peter remembered sitting across the dinner table from Neal when he was younger. Neal would be working on his homework and Peter would be working on his active cases. It was their family time after dinner.

* * *

Over the next couple of years, Neal certainly gave Peter a ton of heart attacks. There were ties for the most heart attack inducing things. Peter wasn't sure if Neal's death by shark attack, the reports of him jumping out of a window to escape, or the time with the Antioch manuscripts topped the chart. With the Antioch manuscripts, Peter knew Neal had taken them as part of a CIA case but, Neal refused to tell him how.

Eventually, the CIA and NSA wanted to retire their team. They were no closer to catching Adler and, while they had caught a number of criminals between Mozzie, Neal and Peter, the agencies were splitting apart and tightening the strings when it came to each other. Mozzie and Neal were finding it difficult to get any information from the NSA and CIA. Peter just had trouble convincing other agents that he wasn't encroaching on their cases but they were getting hesitant, if not hostile, to share information with him unless he forced them to.

So Neal was arrested. Kate was happy to help with an arrest, having decided to stay with Neal and travel around with him. Her decision to stay had surprised them all but Peter sometimes wondered if he just tagged along for the beautiful holiday destinations and gifts that Neal would give her.

Bryce returned. He spent a few days at Peter's place before running off for his next mission.

* * *

It seemed like just another day, except Peter had forgotten his lunch at home. He considered it a lesson to not rush out the door in the morning and was prepared to go without or buy something from a nearby food place. Shortly before lunch, his door opened with force.

Bryce stood there. Thankfully, Peter's wayward kid had thought ahead and hidden his appearance with simple tricks. His hair had grown out a little and looked messy. Makeup had been carefully applied to make his face appear more round.

"Daaaaad!"

Peter's heart skipped a couple of beats at the word and the whine. He hadn't expected either from the other grown man.

"Yes?" he asked, trying to keep cool. This seemed like some kind of setup Bryce was running. But what was he trying to do?

"Why doesn't Agent Berrigan know who I am?"

Peter blinked. What that all? Bryce just wanted to set up his connection to Peter?

"I assumed she wouldn't meet you, since your job put you in other places." And he hadn't wanted anyone making the connection between his foster son and Neal Caffrey.

Diana appeared behind Bryce. "He is your son?" Peter didn't blame her for sounding surprised but, he pointed to the picture of himself and Bryce at the kid's first track meet. Sure, Bryce was eleven in the picture but it at least showed that Peter had a kid.

"Yes. Technically he's my nephew but I raised him."

"Mostly," Bryce had the cheek to add.

"Mostly," Peter confirmed.

It was this moment that Hughes realised what was going on. Or maybe he had enough of the show.

"Bryce Larkin-Burke!" He barked from the door of his office down the hall. "Stop distracting my agents!"

"Will do, sir!" Bryce barked back, complete with fake salute.

* * *

Bryce suddenly announced that he had to leave. Peter knew it had something to do with the CIA but he didn't press for details. He thought that Bryce would be okay. After all, Peter, Hughes and Mozzie were all looking out for him, even if the team had been broken up.

A few nights after Bryce left, Peter awoke to something clattering downstairs and El shivering beside him.

"I'll go," he said, grabbing his gun from the safe beside his bed.

"Be careful," El whispered.

Peter grabbed a flashlight and held it in one hand, gun in the other. He crept down the stairs. The light scanned across the rooms, showing nothing of interest. They must have gotten in the back way because the front door was still locked. He crept into the dinning room to see nothing. His heart was pounding in his chest but his panic was still manageable. A cluttering noise from the kitchen gave away the position of the intruder. Peter pushed through the door to the kitchen, shining the light around the room quickly.

"Freeze! FBI!" he shouted.

"You can't shoot me!" Mozzie shouted back. As soon as Peter registered the short man, he let out a relieved sigh and a curse.

"What are you doing here?"

Mozzie hesitated and held up the wine bottle he had brought. "You're going to want a drink before I get to that."

Peter didn't take the advice. He pulled up a seat at the bench and stared at Mozzie. He wanted the little guy to explain and explain now.

"Why are you breaking into my house in the dead of the night?"

Mozzie didn't respond until he had poured three glasses of wine. One, he kept. The other was placed in front of Peter. The third was moved to the side, 'for Mrs Suit'.

Mozzie took a sip and heaved a heavy sigh. "You're not going to like this."

"Obviously." Peter already didn't like this since Mozzie had broken into his house.

"Bryce was shot dead."

It felt like cold water being dumped inside his body. Peter just froze for an unknown amount of time.

"Explain."

"Bryce broke into a secret CIA facility. There was something called an Intersect in there. He stole it and was shot by the NSA's best shot when he reached the carpark."

"Moz, if this is some idea of a sick joke-"

"The CIA is already arranging to fake his cover's death in a bank robbery."

"What about Neal Caffrey?" Was Peter going to have to deal with this at work?

"Disappears once let out, never to be seen again."

Peter eyed the wine before downing. Moz was right, he needed it.

"He's really dead?"

"The body is missing but he was shot dead on the spot. There's no trick to it, I assure you."

Peter felt the tears coming was but determined to not cry. When Bryce joined the CIA, Peter had known that one day he would have to face this situation.

It didn't make it any easier.

Peter didn't go to work that day. Hughes covered for him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: Alright, I'm back. Mostly. I'm still trying to get Nanowrimo done but I'm way behind and completely exhausted. So I did a chapter of this for you all. Enjoy. I've skipped over the mourning period because I hope to show how it affected Peter over the course of the story.

**Chapter 3**

"Neal Caffrey's escaped."

"What? Is this some kind of joke?"

Diana believed what she had told him. Peter had to hold himself back as she was shocked by how venomously he insisted it must be some kind of joke.

"I know it's strange to run with only 3 months left on a 4 year sentence but that's part of the reason why the Warden wants your help finding him."

Peter bet as much. He wondered if the warden knew they were hunting a dead man.

Maybe this was the CIA's way of closing the Caffrey alias after Bryce's death? But that didn't explain why they waited this long.

Or why Peter was able to find evidence of an actual jailbreak done by someone who looked a lot like his dead kid.

* * *

Neal was sitting on the ground, propped up against the support beam as he cradled a bottle in his hands. Peter wished Neal would walk around or something because it was too easy to imagine this to be a body just left there.

"It's been a while. Care to explain who you are and how you're here?" Peter said, holding his gun ready.

Neal looked at the gun in his hand, unimpressed. "Put that away first, Peter."

Peter huffed. This looked like Bryce, spoke like Bryce but couldn't be Bryce. "You better not have faked your death or I'll kill you myself."

"FBI agents shouldn't be threatening their targets." A helicopter sounded outside. "How many?"

"Including my agents and the marshals, all of them, I think. But you haven't answered my question."

Neal smiled at him. "Not here. Besides, I was only trying to get your attention. Come see me at the prison and I'll be able to answer your questions."

Peter doubted that. He hated how he couldn't tell if this was Bryce or not.

Neal grinned at him and pulled off one of the fibres attached to his shirt.

"Do you know what this is?" Neal asked. Peter admitted that he didn't, but it came from the case he was working on. "It's the security fibre from the new Canadian bill."

Maybe this was Neal. Bryce would be able to get information on other countries' money through is connections.

It made Peter's job a little easier and gave him a reason to go back to talk to Neal that wasn't just morbid curiosity.

* * *

Peter turned up to jail at the appointed meeting time.

"I hope you appreciate this," he said to Neal. "After all, you're supposed to be dead."

"Yeah, I was hoping that you would be curious enough about that to not leave me to rot in here."

Peter whispered back, "Bryce, I wouldn't leave you to rot in here, as long as you haven't done something wrong."

Neal laughed. "Be careful with that name, I don't think I'll be using often at all."

Peter was confused but, to be honest, that was the least confusing thing. "Explain faking your death first."

"It wasn't faked? I just didn't die like everyone thought. A bad group thought keeping me alive was better than letting me die and so they took me and fixed me up."

Peter didn't know what to do with that information. Aside from thinking that his kid was a trouble magnet and he hated it. "How did you die then?"

"I was shot in the heart. It's fine, I'm cool with the guy who did it." Peter stared at him, hoping that Neal would add more to that story.

When Neal didn't elaborate, Peter huffed.

"Neal, whatever you want to propose, I won't be considering it unless you fully explain what you mean."

"There'll be time for that later," Neal insisted. "Because what I want is to get out of here."

"No."

"They gave me four more years Peter. I got four more years trying to get your attention."

"Is that what that was? So you're not looking for Kate?" Neal's silence was all the answer Peter needed. Sure, he was being harsh on his kid but his heart hurt where Bryce's death had scarred it. He needed to make sure that Neal wasn't going to put him through anything like that again. "What exactly are you proposing?"

Neal grinned brightly and Peter felt his heart twist as his kid placed a folder between them.

"There's case precedent for me to be let out on an anklet. I can lease my skills to the FBI and I get a radius of New York to call my very own. If you read the paperwork, you'll agree."

"Except for the part about you being my kid. It's a breach of ethics." Neal snorted. "I'm serious. The CIA might play fast and loose with the rules but the FBI doesn't."

"Tell that to the agents who get arrested for corruption."

"They get arrested because the FBI doesn't let them get away with it."

"And yet, you're still here so you're at least a little bit interested."

What better way to look after Neal than to have him right under his nose? Peter liked the thought of that very much.

"I'll take this to Hughes and see what he says."

"Thanks, Peter!"

"Thank me when you're out of here."

* * *

Peter came home that day and El immediately knew that something had happened. She had been told about Neal escaping and that he had somehow survived whatever made the CIA fake his death. She also knew that she hadn't seen Peter smile like that so easily since they got the news of Bryce's death.

When he told her about the deal Neal was trying to get through, El was hopeful.

"It sounds like a good opportunity; for you and him."

"I don't disagree but it all comes down to Hughes. And I don't see him approving this. Neal is a pain in our side-"

"He is your kid."

"Are you calling me a pain?" Peter had wide worried eyes and El kissed his cheek.

"You're stubborn. A lot of it comes from that."

"That's not a no."

"No it's not," she said with a grin at him. Peter couldn't help laughing. "I hope you can invite Neal over for dinner sometime."

Peter smiled some more at the idea of Neal being free. El was treating it as a certainty, something he had trouble doing before getting the okay from Hughes.

* * *

Hughes placed the folder down in front of him, a deep frown on his face.

"You and I both know that it's a breach of ethics to place Neal with you." Peter felt his heart sink. "However, there's nothing stopping him from being assigned to me. It's too bad that I'm so busy that I'll have to pass a lot of his handling to you."

Peter instantly realised what Hughes was doing. Hughes' name would be on the paperwork but Neal would mostly be working with Peter. They would both be working under Hughes, after all. "If we play our cards right, we might even be able to recruit an agent over from the CIA."

"That'll be difficult, considering that Neal implied that he's not on talking terms with the CIA."

Hughes shrugged. That didn't make a difference to him. "Their loss."

"Will the higher ups even agree to this?" Peter asked.

"It'll be difficult," Hughes conceded. "But I'm sure I can find the right strings to pull."

Surprisingly enough, Hughes didn't have to pull any strings. The higher ups were interested in Neal's proposal from the start. However, they also gave Neal a deadline to start showing results. Starting with the current high priority White Collar case; the Dutchman.

* * *

Peter didn't know what to do with the knowledge that Bryce hadn't been dead. He had no clue what had been happening in his kid's life the last couple of years.

Ever since the news of Bryce's death, El had been with him every step of the way. They held a small memorial service in New York which El had arranged. She had also arranged for the transport of Bryce's belongings to a storage unit. The only things Peter needed to do were be at the appointments El made and sign things for her.

It made sense to go to her with his current worries. El listened thoughtfully and actually had an idea.

"How about contacting that friend of Bryce's? Chuck?"

"Why Chuck?"

"You said he went to the funeral so maybe he knows more than we thought."

"And if he only went because he felt guilty or something?" El gave Peter an unconvinced look. They both knew Chuck had nothing to feel guilty about. "I don't even know the guy, he was never around when I visited Bryce at Stanford."

El hummed thoughtfully. She did that whenever she thought a suggestion of hers would go into the 'grey' area that Peter didn't like. "Well, what do FBI agents do when they need to know more about a person?"

"Are you suggesting that I use FBI resources to contact Chuck?"

"Actually, I thought you might be able to get some contact details to use here. I can only imagine his reaction to the FBI hunting him down. Better to find him as Peter Burke and not Agent Burke."

That was a good point and Peter told her such. The next day, Peter borrowed the FBI resources in order to find a contact detail for Chuck that he could use.

Once Peter introduced himself, Chuck offered to send the information to him.

"You're just going to send me information?"

"Well, the CIA should have files on almost everything. I'll sneak them out for you."

Of course Chuck was in the CIA now. Two peas in a pod was the impression Chuck and Bryce gave in college and it seems that hadn't changed in the years and events that followed.

Chuck was quick to email through all the information Peter had clearance to read. Peter was happy that Hughes insisted he go through the checks and processes to get his security clearance as high as it could be for someone in his position. Some of the files couldn't be shared with anyone else in the office aside from Hughes. Some of the files made Peter want to make sure that Neal's radius wouldn't let him leave the building he lived in as he got in so much danger outside.

* * *

Neal walked out of the prison and showed Peter his shiny new anklet.

"It's nice and all but it certainly makes it difficult to bring you over for dinner."

"Nah. Get Hughes to tell the FBI that you're in charge of my meals or something. Anyway, where is the FBI keeping me for the next four years?"

Peter knew that it wasn't the best place but it was a safe place. Mostly. A little run down and he was certain the lady in the corner was smoking a cigarette next to a 'no smoking' sign.

Neal looked around, horrified. "Peter, no."

"Look, you do the crime, you do the time. And since you're not doing the time inside, the FBI has set you up here."

"Please tell me there's some kind of loophole I can exploit."

Peter sighed. Where did Neal get this from? Maybe it was his biological mother and father, people who were happy to bend the rules.

"This place is safe. I wouldn't be leaving you here if it wasn't."

"Safe doesn't mean comfortable."

"Look, if you can find a place for $700 a month that is better than this, then take it."

"Your place?"

"Neal, that's a conflict of interest. You can stay a night here and there but you can't live with me. Hughes forbade it."

Neal sighed. "What about Bryce? I bet he could live with you."

"Probably, except Hughes knows. I don't think you're running from this anytime soon, Kiddo."

Neal twitched away as Peter reached for his hair. While Peter wanted to rustle the kid's hair, he knew that Neal didn't like it. The kid spent ages making sure his hair looked nice, so he didn't want people messing it up.

Neal had something more to say before Peter left. "Hey, you're not still mad that you thought I was dead?"

"I'm not mad." Peter knew that if Neal asked El, he would get the stories of Peter crying at random times, the photos he had started staring at all the time and the useless feeling that had been Peter's constant companion for months after the initial news had broken. "Just don't do it again. And make sure the CIA doesn't send me your spy will."

Neal winced. Getting a spy will delivered meant the CIA was certain that the agent was dead. "Thankfully they were wrong in my case."

Peter nodded in agreement before leaving Neal there.

It didn't take long for Neal to meet someone else to stay with; a lovely lady named June. Her husband had recently died and she had an extra room-slash-apartment for him to stay in.

* * *

Peter stared up at the building where Neal was supposedly living. It was large for New York and looked like it was worth ten times Peter's townhouse. It took Neal not even one night to find this place.

And then there was the appearance and waltz down the stairs. Peter wondered where he went wrong raising this kid.

"You look like a cartoon."

Neal preened. It wasn't supposed to be a compliment but he certainly took it as one.

"Maybe you should have watched less cartoons growing up."

"Hey, whoa, whoa, no. That's not it at all," Neal insisted. "Neal has a certain way of being which I endeavour to embody. This. Is Devore."

"I'm guessing that's the maker of the suit. Don't embody Neal too hard, Bryce. I'd rather not send you back to prison."

"I'd just break out again."

Seriously? Where was this attitude coming from? Was Neal having his troubled teenage years _now_? No wonder he was such a good kid back in school.

"Look, June is a lovely lady and I didn't want her to have to face lonely days in the future now that her husband is gone. We're both getting something out of this deal."

That made a little more sense. Neal's luck would lead him to the one lady who needed a kind friend right now.

"We can talk about your choices in fashion later. There's been a hit at the airport. Let's go solve a case and get your contract extended."

"Yes, sir!"


	4. Chapter 4

Peter woke up to Jones' phone call about Neal being outside his radius. So the day was already starting off on a panicked foot. He grabbed his clothes and dressed quickly before dashing down the stairs.

"El, Neal's outside his radius-" he froze when he spotted the figure on the couch.

Neal was running his hands through Satchmo. He stopped when he spotted Peter on the stairs.

Peter, who still hadn't put the phone down, told Jones that Neal was accounted for and had an FBI chaperone. He hung up and turned to his grinning adult-sized kid.

"Okay, I'm not explaining this one to Hughes. You can do it. What are you doing here without warning Neal? You know it's outside your radius."

"You have a dog," Neal said in a mystified tone. At least he sounded a little more like the Bryce Peter knew. Neal pet Satchmo happily. The lovable fool of a dog bounced happily at the attention. "When did you get a dog?"

"Shortly before moving in here," Peter said. He was not going to mention that the dog has been El's attempt at helping him to move on after Bryce's death. "El!"

"I'm here," El said with a smile and a coffee. "Neal brought some of the coffee from June's."

"I needed some kind of gift since this is my first time seeing the new place."

Peter took the coffee and ignored Neal's comment. He was the adult here and he wasn't going to bring up how much hurt Neal's death had caused; coffee wasn't going to fix it.

Neal frowned at him like he could hear what Peter was thinking. Of course, he was still petting Satchmo, like he was afraid to let go of the dog.

Peter was struck. How many times had he wished for this very scene? To have his kid back, even if it was only for a day or so. With a sigh, Peter sat down next to Neal and glared at his dog.

"Traitor," he said to Satchmo as the dog ignored him in favour of the new person. "I thought I was your favourite."

"No one's his favourite," El pointed out as she placed a hot coffee in front of Peter. "Food is his favourite."

"To be fair, food is good."

El grinned at Neal, as if she knew a secret. "Hmm, I don't know about FBI food."

Neal was confused. "The FBI gives us food?"

"You'll learn."

Neal did learn very quickly that the FBI didn't provide good food or even good coffee.

* * *

Peter's phone went off late into the evening. He was surprised to see that it was Neal's number. They had all been frustrated that, even though they knew who and where the Dutchman was, they couldn't arrest him without evidence. Neal had been more frustrated than everyone else because it was difficult for him to understand why they couldn't just storm a place without probable cause.

Neal was used to being able to break into places as CIA. Peter hoped that the book on warrant law he left Neal would help him assimilate.

"Did you leave me this book in the hopes that I would find this?" Neal asked.

"I have no clue what 'this' is?"

"I know how we can get the Dutchman. You'll just have to chase me inside."

"What?"

Neal quoted the part of warrant law which stated that the FBI could storm a place for one reason and confiscate evidence related to other crimes while there.

Peter felt a rock of worry settle in his gut. "How does chasing you inside give us the freedom to storm in?"

"Because you'll be chasing after a fleeing felon."

"Wait. You're not going to cut your anklet, are you?"

"Of course not." Peter breath a sigh of relief. "I don't have to. The warehouse is outside my radius. You'll probably get the call in ten minutes." And he hung up.

Peter stared at his phone. Seriously, where did Neal pick up these traits? It wasn't from him, was it?

"El!" he called out.

* * *

Yes, they caught the Dutchman.

Yes, Neal got a talking to about going outside of his radius and about how lucky he was that Hughes was not marching him back to prison.

Yes, Peter was seriously considering calling his parents because their grandson was trying to give him a heart attack.

At least Neal was given an ongoing contract with the FBI and was now serving his four year sentence with them.

* * *

Neal glared at the vending machine. How much money did the government sink into the FBI? It should be enough to make sure the vending machines worked.

"The great Neal Caffrey eats from a vending machine?" Lauren questioned as she walked over.

That opinion right there was why Neal had gone to the one down the hall and no the closest one. "Why are you here?"

"This is the only machine with the chocolate I like," Lauren pointed out. Neal let her at the broken machine. Let it eat her money too. Lauren placed her money inside and pressed the button for the chocolate she wanted.

Neal just managed to bite back the instinctive cry of 'come on! That's not fair!' as the chocolate came falling down. He couldn't hide his expression though and Lauren grinned victoriously at him as she picked up her chocolate.

"I was trying to get something for Agent Burke," Neal admitted.

"Hoping that he'll go easy on you after failing to catch the Ghost?" Lauren had met Neal at the party where they had hoped to get the Ghost. He had been there, but had also escaped the net Neal and the FBI had put up.

"Something like that." Neal already helped with the paperwork but there had been a lot of paperwork generated by his mistake. Of course, he wasn't going to ask Lauren for help. She looked like she was waiting for it and the chance to lord his need for assistance over him.

Later, Jones informed Neal that the vending machines didn't dispense the item Neal had tried to buy. Strangely enough, every single machine was either out of the item or the dispenser didn't work.

"Not that it matters," Jones said wisely. "The stuff is gross. Chocolates are melted, drinks explode sticky liquid everywhere no matter what precautions you take and everything else is bland with no flavour."

"Even the flavoured stuff?"

Jones nodded. "Even the flavoured stuff."

Mud coffee and barely functional vending machines. Anklet willing, Neal was going to get acquainted with every restaurant and cafe in the nearby area.

* * *

Neal popped his head into Peter's office.

"I'm off to the sandwich shop on the street, want anything?"

Peter didn't even look up as he answered, "you know you're not allowed out without an FBI escort. Take Jones."

Neal had been hoping Peter wouldn't remember that. He sighed. "Do you want anything?"

"El packed me a sandwich." Then Peter looked up, remembering something. "Didn't she give you one too?"

"I ate it already."

"Caffrey," Hughes' voice called out down the corridor. "My office. Now."

Hughes was one of two people in this office Neal would obey without question so he quickly followed the order.

"El makes you lunch now?"

"Yeah. We got closer after the Dutchman case."

Hughes raised an eyebrow. "Larkin-Burke, there's no bugs in this office."

Neal still thought it was a bad idea to talk freely in the middle of the FBI. But, if Hughes said there were no bugs, he could try. "Peter put in for me to be able to visit his place without setting the anklet off."

"After you set the anklet off during the Dutchman case."

"I did manage to solve the case." Sure, he had bent the law to do it; taking advantage of a technicality, but the Dutchman was now behind bars. "Maybe he considered it a reward."

"Is it too much to think that Burke wants to spend time with you?" Hughes asked with a sigh. "Just be careful that the other agents don't start thinking that there's something going on."

"I won't mention where the lunches come from then. Or I'll imply that June's staff make them for me."

Hughes shook his head. "Too bad Neal Caffrey can't be expected to make his own lunch."

Neal never really had the time to make a lunch before. As an agent, he either ate out or ate rations because he was on a stakeout or something.

"I think Lauren would have a heart attack if I revealed that I could cook."

Hughes wasn't impressed. Or he was doing his best impression of General Beckman at her most unimpressed. It was times like this that Neal missed Director Graham, as long as they weren't in crisis-mode, the man could take a joke and give back as good as he got. However, he had been killed in an explosion.

"I'll keep my identity secret. I am a professional," Neal insisted. Hughes nodded a moment later, indicating that he realised Neal's hidden meaning by using the word 'professional'.

"I would be nice if you could trust us a little more." Hughes made sure his office wasn't bugged, for goodness' sake. "If anyone asks, I was scolding you about being so vocal about the terrible coffee machine. No, we can't afford a new one."

Neal paused as he realised that Hughes was providing him with a cover but also, "did you just make a joke, sir?"

"Out, Caffrey!" Hughes ordered.

Neal dashed outside, not wanting to disobey that tone. It seems a few agents noticed his quick exit and heard Hughes frustration. They quickly ducked their heads but it certainly looked like they were trying not to laugh. Neal couldn't blame them, he had a smile on his face too. Maybe working under Hughes wouldn't be too bad.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

* * *

It was a lovely day in the park. The sun was warm and Peter wanted to close his eyes and relax. However, he was not here for relaxation.

He slipped into the seat across from a bundled up man, who could be mistaken for a homeless person, and reached for the chess pieces on the board between them.

Mozzie slapped his hand away. "You didn't say the code!"

"I'm not saying it. You're here, I'm here and we both know who the other is. Why do we need a code?"

"You know, he has a point." Neal's voice piped up from Mozzie's phone. It was sitting on the edge of the chessboard.

Mozzie slumped and didn't say anything else. He just fished in his rags and tossed a photo in front of Peter. The photo was of Kate. An unknown man's hand was resting on her shoulder. On his finger was a familiar ring.

Peter cursed. That was just what they needed.

"Do you recognise it?" Neal asked hopefully.

"First, you're going to tell me where you got this."

"Nope. No questions, Suit. You are also a suspect."

"Mozzie," Neal sighed. "I've told you why Peter couldn't have done it."

"Please. Parents disappoint children all the time."

Peter decided it would probably be better to answer now and get his own answers later. It didn't matter so much where the picture had come from as it already held his answer to whether they were still searching for Kate.

"The ring is an FBI 10 year pin. Work ten years for the FBI and get this pin. Most of us turn it into a ring."

"I'll have a look into how many FBI agents have received their ten years pin and see if I can narrow down those who turned it into a ring." Mozzie was not enthusiastic about the idea.

"Kate hasn't given you any more hints to what this person wants?" Peter asked, directing his question mainly to the phone. He knew that Neal had met with her but he was tight lipped about everything else.

"No, she hasn't."

"And even if she had, we're trying to keep you out of this for plausible deniability on your part, Suit."

"No one asked me if I wanted plausible deniability."

"Peter," Neal said with a sigh. He knew that Peter wouldn't want to be put between his kid and the FBI.

"Bryce. I already know too much. Except why you want to find Kate so bad. She left you."

"As I've been saying all along."

"She was forced to leave me! Look, the man with the ring wants something-"

"He wants a music box."

Peter expected the suspicious look from Mozzie. Sadly, he couldn't tell what Neal's reaction was.

"We're sharing information. Here's mine: I met with Kate before she was moved. I tried to convince her to come with me and return to you but she refused. She insisted that getting a music box was the only way she could return."

"Stockholm syndrome?" Mozzie suggested.

"I doubt it."  
"How-How long ago was this?"

"Only a few days ago. I didn't know how to bring it up and you suggested this meeting anyway so I thought I would tell you here. I didn't know you were going to phone in." He eyed the phone in distaste.

Neal chuckled nervously. "Well, this was Mozzie's idea. So, we need to get a music box, huh?"

He could only think of one music box he had stolen. There was only one issue. "Too bad the music box they're after, I never actually stole."

"That will be a problem. That's when you tried to arrest Alex, right?"

Neal chuckled. "She was slippery. And a step ahead."

"It doesn't kill you to admit it?" Peter smirked. Neal had trouble admitting he lost when he was younger. Peter tried to help him move beyond that habit but, it was difficult when Peter also hated losing.

"Oh, it does. I plan to get her eventually though."

"Let's just focus on the music box," Mozzie said. "I remember that one so I should be able to pick up the trail from there. Although I thought you at least managed to get the box."

"No. Bright side, neither did Alex. It's still out there."

"Are we just piling all our jobs onto Mozzie?" Peter asked. Surely there was something he could do?

"This is Mozzie's calling. Let him do it. We handle the execution."

Peter sighed. He could reluctantly leave it to Mozzie. After all, the little guy had been helpful just a while ago when Peter's house had been bugged. Fowler was the most likely suspect but they would have to wait and see if the evidence lined up.

* * *

"Auntie El! Peter! I bought gifts from June!" Neal announced as he walked into the house. Peter blinked, looked at the tracking data and then looked at Neal again. His hair was a mess and he was wearing a simple navy shirt and black slacks. Fancy but not Neal fancy.

"Bryce?" Peter questioned in shock. "How?"

Bryce grinned at him. "The CIA is giving me a free day. So no Neal and I'm allowed to visit."

"That's wonderful!" El took the bags from Neal with a smile and a welcome. She was glad to see him and it sounded like he had visited legitimately.

"I guess."

Bryce frowned and glanced at Peter's computer screen. "What? Sad you can't track me today?"

"Of course not. Although I wonder what Fowler would think if he could see you now."

Bryce laughed. "He probably wouldn't be able to believe it! After all, I have comics in that bag."

"Neal Caffrey can appropriate all kinds of fine art."

It took a second for that comment to sink in. After all, while Peter wasn't against comics, he didn't approve of how many Bryce tried to collect in his teenage and young adult years. They were still stored somewhere in New York.

Bryce laughed. "You'll regret that comment one day! I'll turn it back on you!"

"First you'll have to be ready to share your nerd habits with the team. I don't see that day coming anytime soon."

Bryce silently knew that Peter had a point. Aside from his family, Chuck was the only other person he felt he could indulge in his guilty pleasures with.

"So, comics?" El questioned, opening the bag to take a look. She didn't know much about them but that didn't matter, Bryce was very willing to share with a willing ear.

Peter just sat and listened to their lively chatter as he read his way through some kind of superhero comic about a detective who was also an alien.

* * *

Mozzie finished his examination with one very obvious suspect and a few likely suspects. Neither Peter nor Neal were surprised to see Fowler's file at the top.

"Lots of skeletons in that closet," Mozzie said. It seemed that there was a high chance that Fowler was abusing his power as OPR.

Peter snorted at that. Fowler was most certainly abusing his power. He had bugged Peter's house without going through the proper channels after all.

Neal frowned at all the information. "Well, I'm all for stealing the box this guy wants and arresting him when he collects it from me."

"I don't know if that'll be enough for the FBI to arrest him." Peter sighed as he realised, "you're going to turn him over to your agency, aren't you?"

Mozzie grinned savagely. He was probably planning to take a lot of the credit for Fowler's arrest, just as the CIA would hold it over the FBI if they arrested one of their corrupt agents.

"Consider it a fair trade."

Neal frowned at Mozzie as he had no clue to what the older spy could be referring to. Peter could see his confusion and wondered what Mozzie was up to.

While investigating the FBI, Mozzie had been approached about a set of plans he had stumbled upon. This person had gained his contact information after realising that the person around Neal Caffrey was also a spy.

Very clever. Kind of wasted in the FBI but it made sense once they explained how they came to be there. Their plan also made sense, even if Mozzie didn't like it. He agreed to stay out of it and let Neal and Peter make their own choices.

* * *

June opened the door to Neal's apartment, making way for Alex to enter before leaving. She didn't trust Alex but she trusted Neal to call for help if he needed it.

To be honest, Neal hadn't been expecting this. The last he had seen of Alex was her running off after tricking them. It took weeks to plan the break in to steal the music box. Neal had kept his promise about not involving the FBI; aside from keeping Peter up to date. He had made the forged sculpture which housed their tools and donated it to their target. He had found his own way into the party, as had Mozzie.

Mozzie blocked the security cameras while Neal broke into their target.

Alex just hung around as a distraction and an extra set of hands. Neal had been careful not to leave her alone with the box but she took it anyway and escaped, bring a metal security door down between them.

It was luck and skill that kept Neal and Mozzie from being arrested.

Now, here he was, a day later. Alex was standing his apartment, holding the box.

"Alex?" he questioned as if she would disappear.

She looked around nervously before holding out the box.

"Look, I heard you needed this to save Kate. I don't want to be the reason something bad happens to her, okay?"

Neal smiled. This was perfect! "You don't know what this means for me." He took the box from her and, in gratitude, gave her a light kiss on the cheek.

"I hope she's still the same girl you remember."

Neal sighed. He had been hearing that a lot lately.

"And in case she's not…" Alex let her sentence trail off with a smile. "I don't need the heat this thing will bring. The last thing I need is the guy that's after you, coming after me."

At least with this, Fowler would be out of business.

* * *

Neal's phone rang after Alex left. It was Peter.

"He went after El."

"What?"

"Fowler. He went after El. I barely held myself back from hitting him but it didn't matter. He suspended me for association until this mess is cleaned up."

Neal's heart was racing. He was angry. "I'm going to get him."

"You better." Peter's voice held such confidence that Neal felt a weight lift from his shoulders. It was a good thing the FBI had agreed to let the CIA handle it. Fowler couldn't do anything to Bryce's credentials.

"Take care of El." Neal hung up and called Mozzie. Mozzie knew a few things about dealing with the law and he would be able to help El wriggle out of this with very little damage.

Then he put the music box into a case and left for the meeting place.


	6. Chapter 6

Neal walked into the alleyway where he had agreed to meet Fowler. Once Fowler saw the box in Neal's possession, he handed over some papers. Neal looked them over. What he found gave him pause.

"Mentor was created for me?"

"Kate and I had a deal. You both get new identikits. We get the box."

Neal didn't know how to feel about that. However, he knew that he at least stick to the plan. He could work out his feelings later.

Fowler was still talking, "you disappear. Legally."

"What's so special about that box?" Neal asked as he handed the box over. It was, for all intents and purposes, a normal music box with a history that made it worth more than the usual music box. Nothing worth all this.

"It's above my pay grade. Go. Kate's waiting for you. Time and place are in the files."

"Kate might have to wait then," Neal sighed. He placed the files on the ground and pulled out his badge. "Bryce Larkin, CIA. I'm going to have to ask you to come with me."

Fowler snorted. It was obvious he didn't believe Neal. Fine. He didn't have to. Agents brought by Mozzie moved in. They appeared behind Neal and from behind Fowler. Every one of them was holding a gun ready.

"You've got to be kidding," Fowler said. He knew he was outgunned and placed the box on the ground, holding his hands up in defeat.

Neal sighed in relief. For a heart-stopping moment there, he thought that Fowler was going to try and make a break for it.

"No, I'm not kidding," he said as Fowler was cuffed. Neal picked the box back up and passed it to an agent behind him. A quick glance identified the agent as Agent Winters, who slipped in and out of the crowd of agents like he belonged there.

Neal left Fowler to the agents, who would inform the FBI and take care of the interrogation. Neal had to go find Kate and make sure she was okay. He was finally going to tell her everything about his job. About how they didn't have to run. Then he could properly introduce her to Peter.

First, he had to get to the plane and tell her that she didn't need it.

* * *

The plane was the only one on the runway. It was a small aircraft at a personal airport. It's engine started the moment Neal stepped out of the hanger and onto the runway.

"Neal!" It was Peter. He looked worried about something.

The next few moments were scrambled through pain in his throat, in his nose and heat from behind him. He couldn't remember hearing much past the first roaring press of sound as the plane exploded.

Peter was there, wrapping his arms around him. At first, Peter was trying to stop him from rushing into the flames. Neal's heart was racing and his body was twitching with pent up energy, he knew he could get in and out. And Kate was in there!

After Neal's legs gave way, Peter just held him until the authorities arrived. Burning heat pressed on Neal from outside of Peter's arms. It was a fire that burned so brightly that he had to close his eyes when they became dry and itchy.

It was not too much of an exaggeration to say that the image was burned into Neal's vision and memory.

"-he's my nephew, Bryce Larkin." Peter's hands fished for Bryce's ID, which was in his inside pocket. He showed the officer. "He knew someone on the plane and was supposed to meet them here."

The officer cursed. "My condolences. Get him checked for shock in the ambulance."

Peter nodded. "Come on, Bryce. Up you get."

Bryce shook his head. He was tired. His legs just wouldn't carry him. His hearing was fading in and out with static.

Something heavy was draped over his shoulders and a cup of something was dropped into his hands.

"Thanks for coming over," Peter said to the EMT.

"No worries," her voice was kind. Motherly. "I can bring a gurney over if you don't think he'll be able to move."

"Give us a few minutes?"

She went away and Bryce let go of a breath he forgot he was holding. His hands gripped the warm cup tightly.

"It's warm," he marvelled.

"Yeah, it is. Now, I think you're a little too big for me to carry, do you think you can stand up and head over to the ambulance?"

"I don't want to leave her." It was stupid, he knew. He was torn between knowing she was dead and not wanting to think about it; in the vain hope that would somehow keep her alive.

"A few more minutes then. Sip your hot chocolate." Peter sat down silently beside Bryce. Bryce sipped at the warm drink, waiting for the feeling to come back into his body.

Slowly, his limbs slipped a little more under his control. However, his heart and chest still felt sore and hard.

He shifted and Peter seemed to get the hint. "Time to go," he stated, helping Bryce to his feet.

Bryce stood under his own power, slipping his hurt and pain into another section of his brain. His mission right now was to follow Peter. Usually Peter would be mad at him using his spy training to get through the day but they both knew Peter wouldn't blame Bryce for it. Just this once.

Bryce let the EMT check him out. He softly but firmly answered all her questions. She determined he could go home, as long as he was with someone.

Peter volunteered.

* * *

Peter sent El a message while the EMT looked over Bryce. He wasn't going to say the words 'Kate's dead' out loud in case it sent his nephew into a meltdown. Back when when he learnt of Bryce's 'death', just the name 'Bryce' had been enough to get him holding back tears. It had been bad enough that Hughes began censoring any documents containing the name and the team just dealt with it; often using last names for any 'Bryces'.

El tried not to mother him the instant he came in, keeping her distance so she didn't smother him.

"Dinner or a movie?" she asked, pointing to the dining room and the lounge.

"Can't I just go up to sleep?" Bryce asked in a flat voice. "I'm not really in the mood."

"Understandable. Movie it is. You can be alone without being alone. Curl up on the couch with Satch-" Satchmo, the good dog that he was, was already lying by the couch with an expectant look, "-and I'll go get the food. I've made some cups of soup and some sandwiches."

"You heard the lady," Peter said, guiding Bryce into the lounge when he tried to push up the stairs. Thankfully, Bryce didn't put up much of a fight. Peter would have let him go if he had but El was right. Bryce needed to have people nearby, even if he felt like he was alone. "Couch, food, movie. It helped me when I got the news you were dead." A little bit of guilt might just help too. Peter hoped it would help Bryce see he wasn't going through this alone.

"It was the game, not a movie, but the same principle," El corrected as she walked in with a tray. She placed the tray on the table and unloaded the cups and a plate of sandwiches. Peter snatched up his cup and a sandwich and started to eat.

"What's the movie?" Bryce asked, giving in. He might as well let his family do what they wanted since he didn't have the energy or desire to fight.

"Your favourite growing up, according to Peter at least." El smirked at him while Peter sighed but settled it into watch this movie again. Satchmo leapt up onto Bryce's lap and they all settled into for a long night.

* * *

Bryce fell asleep sometime during the movie. Once it was over, El was going to turn it off but Peter shoved in a marathon of Marvel movies.

"White noise," he said as explanation.

El decided to leave Peter to it as he would know what Bryce needed better than her. If it was some kind of noise to fill the silence, then so be it. She made sure the blanket was properly covering him, gave Satchmo a pet and went up to bed. She already knew that Peter probably wasn't going to join her tonight. He would stay up to watch over Bryce.

Morning did not come quietly. Hughes was at the door by 5am. It was early but he needed to be.

"We need to talk," he said to Peter. El made them coffee and then went back to bed. Bryce sat with the coffee, looking like he hadn't slept. He didn't mind showing himself to Hughes as the agent knew who he was.

Hughes sat across from them, looking tired himself.

"There's movement to arrest Neal Caffrey."

"Can I ask why?" Bryce said.

"He's suspected of bombing plane which killed Kate Moreau."

"What?"

"You've got to be joking," Peter huffed. "Bombing isn't in Neal's MO!"

Hughes shook his head. "I know that. You know that. But the higher ups don't care. Or, to be more precise, most don't care."

Peter held his tongue. Hughes was doing them a favour and it wouldn't do to bite his head off.

"What do you mean?" Bryce asked calmly.

"As far as I can see, you have two options." Hughes pulled out a file and placed it in front of Bryce. "Stay Neal Caffrey and be arrested-"

"He's not going to prison. Not while he's mourning."

"Peter, let him finish."

"You can be arrested as Neal, or we claim that Neal was also killed in the explosion and Bryce Larkin-Burke joins the FBI."

"What?"

"Hughes, how did you arrange that?" Peter asked.

"I didn't." Hughes nodded at the file. "He did."

Bryce opened the file to see his CIA profile and some notes in a familiar style. "Director Graham? But he's dead." He had died in an Intersect related incident.

"He's about as dead as Neal Caffrey might be." Hughes gave a little chuckle. "He didn't miss Neal Caffrey being given a position in the FBI and immediately sought to make it permanent."

Peter looked at the photo Bryce pulled out. "That looks like your boss. Kyle Bancroft."

Hughes nodded.

"Huh. Good to know he's alive." Bryce looked over the file. It was a bunch of employee forms for him to fill out. "This says that I still have to do the training at Quantico."

"All 20 weeks of intensive training. It'll be a challenge, even for a successful CIA agent such as yourself."

Bryce couldn't believe what he was being presented with. A job with the FBI was just falling into his lap. Although, the CIA job had come to him in a similar manner. But;

"If I take this deal, what happens with Kate?"

"Bancroft will make arrangements for her to be buried. Along with a false plot for Neal. You'll even be allowed to go to the funeral."

"They won't let you go if you're arrested as Neal," Peter pointed out softly. "And Quantico might give you something else to focus on for a while."

"They'll certainly work you hard enough up there that you won't have time to think."

Bryce looked over the papers. Most of his details were already there. He started filling in the few blanks and signing off on it.

Peter was a little nervous about it. "While I'd love it if you came to work with us, you don't have to sign now. It's okay to sleep on it." Bryce had a tendency to jump in without thinking and it looked like that was never going to change.

"I don't know if you noticed but I don't have time. Neal Caffrey will have to be announced as arrested or deceased soon or all the government forces will come knocking on your door."

"You can visit on weekends," Hughes responded. Of course, he also hoped that Peter would get some advice from Bryce while there. They had a good clear rate and it hurt to give the kid up, even if it was only for a while.

"I think I completed everything. Get Bancroft to contact me if there's anything else." After a moment's thought, he added, "and he should probably contact Sarah Walker. She took his death harder than most."

"You're about to convince the FBI that you died. Maybe you shouldn't be giving out advice."

"If Jones and Berrigan don't figure it out, I'll be disappointed," Hughes said. There was a reason Peter put them on his team. To Bryce he said, "I'll let Bancroft know. He'll contact you to let you know the date of the funeral and when you start training."

Bryce nodded. At least he would get to attend Kate's funeral. And he was able to stay with Peter and El for the time being.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: I'm posting this Christmas Eve in my timezone so, Merry Christmas everyone. I had some fun working on this chapter, which is a little indulgent. I hope you enjoy.

Bryce returned to the small lodgings he had been given as part of his training and flopped down onto the bed. His body had a tired ache to it and he wasn't sure if it was the training or the effort of working through his grief over Kate.

Trying not to think about it wasn't helping him. His phone beeped with a message from Peter. He wanted to do a video call.

"Guess who has appeared in New York?"

"Who?"

"The Architect."

Peter was probably talking about something to do with FBI work; which mean a criminal; probably white collar. Which White Collar criminal on the loose had the moniker 'The Architect'?

"The bank robber?"

Peter nodded. "He's dropped off his calling cards at a number of banks in New York, one of which has asked us to run a security check."

That sounded like a challenge. Why did the FBI have to get the good cases while he was stuck writing reports about them? "Good luck with that then."

"Aw, paperwork getting you down?"

Bryce groaned. Peter would know, he had sat through complaint after complaint and grumble after grumble when Bryce had been in high school Just because he was a good and focused student, didn't mean he didn't see the flaws in the system.

"Would you like to take a fully mandated break and come back to New York for a while?"

"I'm fine."

Peter chuckled in amusement. He explained, "I'm not talking about a mental health break. I'm talking about helping us run the security check. Hughes agrees that there's no one else more qualified to break into a bank than Neal Caffrey."

"Thought he was dead." Bryce couldn't help smiling though. This sounded just like what he needed right now. Something not involving Times New Roman pt 12 font with double spacing.

"He is. Doesn't stop the FBI from bringing in someone with similar contacts and skills."

"I'm in. Let me call Mozzie." Moz would love the chance to help him.

* * *

Mozzie was a little grumpy about Neal's deflection from CIA to FBI but he took it well enough. He didn't cut off all contact and Bryce was able to find him in Central Park. Bryce won 'Find the Lady' and then passed Mozzie a location and time. It was only 15 minutes later but it was enough time for Mozzie to feel that this was a proper clandestine meeting.

Bryce took a seat at a chess game and made the first move. Mozzie came and sat down a few moments later and made his first move.

"So, what has brought you back? Did you fail at FBI training?"

"Quantico trains more than just FBI agents," Bryce responded. "But, to answer your question, I came back for a quick job and no, I didn't fail."

"What kind of job?"

"Uncle's in need of someone to break into a bank. He figured I was the best option. So, what do you say? Want to help me break into a bank?"

"Are we keeping the loot?"

"Not this time. But I can work some kind of payment out of the FBI. If we succeed of course."

"Sounds like a gamble." Mozzie grinned. "I'm in."

* * *

Peter was not impressed with the contract Bryce put together.

"Just the two of you? And you don't require anything from me, aside from payment if you successfully perform the heist?"

"Or a bailout if I fail. I'll also put together a list of weaknesses in bank security and skills which someone would need to break in."

"Fine. I'm sure I can get Hughes to sign off on this."

"I report to you then."

"And Hughes. There's two agents assigned to security testing, for security."

"So that the agent in charge doesn't walk off with the money or something?"

"Along with other things, yes." Peter sometimes wished his kid wasn't so perceptive. But it was that skill which made Bryce a good fit for this job so he couldn't complain. "Hey, maybe you could even make a job out of testing security."

"Nah. Let me get into the FBI first."

* * *

Bryce walked into the bank by pretending to be a new employee, bluffed his way into the vault and loaded up a suitcase. He walked right out of the bank and down the street.

Someone coughed a familiar cough. Bryce froze.

"How did you learn the time of this heist?" he questioned in shock as Peter smirked at him from the other side of his car.

"Get in," Peter said. With a sigh, Bryce did. In the back seat because Hughes was sitting in the passenger side. He couldn't exactly ignore the two agents who put him on this mission.

"How much did you grab?" Hughes asked, motioning for Bryce to hand over the suitcase.

Bryce gave them a rough estimate. "But count it and wait and see what the bank says is missing."

"Do you have a feeling they'll overestimate?"

"Underestimate. I tried to throw them off."

Hughes nodded his agreement. "It all seems to be here. Take us back to the office, Burke."

"Of course, sir."

Bryce rolled his eyes. These two were enjoying the illegal feeling of this legal venture, weren't they? There was no other reason for Peter to call Hughes 'sir' outside of the office.

"Could you drop me home first? Or to June's?" He hadn't seen June since he left for Quantico and, while they did communicate by letter, he missed her.

"Well, Larkin-Burke, I figure it might be time to introduce you to the office as an outside consultant on this case."

"As long as you're comfortable with it," Peter was quick to add.

Bryce was surprised that they were willing to introduce him as Bryce Larkin; or Larkin-Burke. "What are we going to tell them about Neal Caffrey?"

"I will be mentioning nothing," Hughes said.

"They are agents. Let them figure it out," Peter confirmed.

That was, almost evil. Bryce did not envy those in the White Collar office. Although he was probably going to join them down the track, he had grown up around Peter and Hughes and so had some resistance to the way they ran things.

"Fine," he sighed, settling back into the seat. He text Mozzie that the job had been a success and that the FBI had the money. Mozzie expressed excitement for the former and frustration at the latter.

Bryce expressed frustration right back because he was the one getting ferried to the FBI office.

* * *

Diana looked him up and down. Bryce wondered what was off with his outfit that she felt she needed that expression on her face. His hair was a mess but he didn't bother with wax to make it look nice. His clothes were neat but black from his shirt to his shoes.

"What?" he questioned, putting snark in his voice.

Diana looked to Peter.

"That's Bryce. He helped us out with this case." Peter looked at Bryce. "Be nice, kiddo."

Bryce huffed and rolled his eyes. Peter would know what that meant.

"Why are we calling Neal Caffrey, Bryce now? And why is he acting like a petulant child?"

"I was brought here against my will," Bryce informed them.

"Please. If you wanted to escape, you would have escaped. Hughes and I don't have the ability to keep you here."

"Still brought here against my will," Bryce said.

A few agents questioned those around them about what was going on. Truth be told, no one knew.

Hughes chuckled to himself. He had expected this reaction, although Bryce was a little more subdued than he expected. Maybe he really didn't like this.

Too bad. "Everyone, this is Bryce Larkin-Burke. He's a security tester and is helping us out with Peter's most recent case."

Jones raised his hand before speaking. "Sir, 'Larkin-Burke'?"

"He's Peter's nephew, although Peter did raise the kid."

"I tried my best," Peter said with a smirk in Bryce's direction. "I don't know what happened."

"You-" Bryce didn't finish because he would rather not swear in a room filled with agents. They wouldn't forget him using such language. "That's mean."

"You can use Caffrey's old desk to write your reports. I want them as soon as possible. After all, the bank will notice the breach in their security soon enough."

Bryce didn't think so. But it wasn't his place to argue with Hughes. Peter though, "can't I work in your office?"

"Nope. My desk is a mess and there's sensitive documents spread around."

"That's just an excuse. Isn't our security clearance the same?"

"My successes with Neal Caffrey pushed my clearance up."

Bryce's eyes widened. Seriously? How had he not noticed? Peter was being justifiably smug about it too.

"So, Bryce Larkin-Burke?" Diana questioned, looking like she was holding back a laugh.

Jones was giving Bryce the most suspicious look he possessed. Unfortunately for him, Bryce was used to the suspicious treatment.

"Well?" he asked Jones.

"You look like Neal Caffrey."

"I'm sure I do. I've been told I look like other people before." He hummed. "Maybe I just have one of those faces."

"I'm not buying it Caffrey."

"My name is Bryce Larkin-Burke. Any other name you think you know me by is a long story. But I'm sure Peter will be very willing to talk about my past with you."

Diana snorted, as if that was a joke.

"No," one of the older agents, Agent Hayes, said. "He's not joking."

Agent Hayes' partner shuddered. "I think Burke kept us from lunch a years ago when Hayes here asked him how Bryce was going at school. He just didn't stop talking."

Bryce winced in sympathy.

"I'll finish my paperwork quickly and clear out my day then." Jones proceeded to start doing that.

"He's not serious, is he?"

"About as serious as you were about asking Peter," Diana responded.

"Auntie El will kill me if Peter doesn't come home for dinner. We're meant to be going out for dinner together, since I've been away at Quantico."

"Seriously? You disappeared to Quantico? Is this why everyone thinks Caffrey is dead?"

Diana was somewhere between impressed and furious.

"Bancroft wanted to hire me as an agent. I have a few weeks and a case report on a known criminal to complete and then I enter probie territory."

"I remember that report. You're not doing it on Neal Caffrey, are you?"

Bryce shook his head in horror. He had considered it but it would have been difficult to distinguish between what he knew about Neal Caffrey and things the FBI knew and he could reference. "I'm going to do the Dutchman."

As he expected, Diana had a laugh at that. Not every agent in training was able to write a report about the first criminal they caught for the FBI.

"As long as it's not on Caffrey," Jones said from his desk. "Cruz was enough."

Bryce winced at the reminder of the brash agent. She was not as easy to get along with as Jones and Diana were.

"So, are we going to get a new probie around here?" Agent Hayes asked Bryce.

Bryce gave the other agent a flat stare. "You already have a partner."

"I'll trade," Agent Hayes' partner said quickly.

"And have Agent Burke watching your every move?"

Agent Hayes' shoulders slumped. Bryce had a point. He slunk back to desk to do the paperwork his partner dumped on it.

Bryce lowered his voice when he spoke to Diana. "To be honest, I don't know if I'll do my probationary period here. I've had another offer I'm considering."

"Oh?"

"Don't tell Peter."

"You're going to break his heart."

"Like you didn't do the same, running of to DC for a bit."

"Hey, he had you."

"True. And this time, he'll have you."

"Are you going to try for White Collar after your probationary period is up, Caffrey?"

"It's Larkin, if you're not going to call me Bryce. And yeah. I can't leave the old man for too long. Look after him while I'm gone, okay?"

Diana slapped his shoulder. "Don't talk like you're disappearing. Because, forget Peter, I'll hunt you down if you do."

He didn't doubt that.


	8. Chapter 8

When Bryce told Peter that he was going to Burbank, California for his probationary period, El had to remind Peter to use his indoor voice. Bryce had almost dropped his phone from the loud ringing feedback from Peter's 'what!?' that rang through.

"Why Burbank?" Peter demanded to know. "Why not here? Lots of agents work at the same location they did their probationary period at."

No, they didn't unless they were older. But he wasn't about to say that to the man who raised him.

"Well, it's only a year or so. And I thought it would be nice to catch up with Chuck."

"Chuck."

"Chuck lives in Burbank. He works at the Buy More."

"Bryce."

He hated that tone of 'I know you're keeping things from me, fess up before I find out'. "Okay, so maybe he owns the Buy More, but that's a secret."

"I know Chuck is in the CIA, Bryce."

"...I wasn't lying about the Buy More thing though."

"I know you weren't. But you're not telling me the whole story." They both knew it was a bad habit Bryce gained while living with Ellen. She caught him in a lie once and made the mistake of telling him that telling the truth was trickier than lying. Bryce took it as a challenge and now had a habit which was only made greater through his time as Neal Caffrey.

"Honestly, Uncle, I want to hang out with Chuck. Since he knows everything, we may be able to rekindle what it felt like to hang out in college."

"So you're going to play video games until dawn?"

"I hope so."

Peter sighed. He felt like Bryce had played him a little but they both knew that Chuck had been a close friend of Bryce's. It had hurt Bryce a lot to betray him the way he did.

"You better come join us at White Collar."

"I'm working White Collar at Burbank."

"Bryce. I mean in New York."

Bryce chuckled. It was a small joke but he had gone for it. "Of course. I won't leave Diana and Jones hanging. They're looking forward to shoving all their work on the new guy."

"Bring them coffee. Your hands are already full and they get a kickstart to their day."

* * *

Bryce checked the address on his phone and then the place he was standing in front of. Because there was just no way. Chuck was living here? It was a white house with a picket fence and picture perfect yard.

He knocked on the door and breathed a sigh of relief when the familiar mousy-brown haired man opened it.

"Bryce!" Chuck sounded happy to see him.

"Thank goodness, I really thought I had the wrong place. How do you keep your yard so neat?"

Chuck looked away. "Uhhh..." Bryce stared at him, waiting for an answer. "My mum takes care of it. She lives with us, whenever she's not on a mission."

"Your mother... Frost?" Wasn't she a traitor, working with Volkoff? Orion had mentioned looking for her, convinced that she wasn't with him because she was a traitor but for other reasons. Bryce had always wondered what made the old man so sure or if he was just blinded by emotion as she was his wife.

"Yeah." Chuck explained about taking down Volkoff and bringing his mother back. "She doesn't work for the CIA exactly but I believe she hires out her services for something to do. Between catching up with us."

"Wow. I hope you've got enough room."

"She doesn't stay here. I've already spoken with Sarah and she's fine with giving you the guest room."

"Did you tell her why I'm here?" Did Casey know? Bryce was a little worried about their response to his new job.

"I believe I mentioned you had a new job here for a few months or so but I never mentioned exactly what it is. I think she's torn between hoping that you've joined our freelance agency or hoping that you're part of the CIA."

"Are those the only two options?"

"The only two she can think of. You are Bryce Larkin; SuperSpy."

Bryce groaned. He hated that nickname.

"Well, unfortunately, it's neither of those."

Chuck sighed in disappointment. "I know. By the way, if you need a CI, pick Kevin."

"Kevin? No last name?"

"Everyone knows Kevin. Just ask for him."

Bryce was a little suspicious about that. "And what makes you think that I'm going to need a CI?"

Chuck smirked and shrugged at him. "Now, I'll show you around the house? I mean, you're going to be staying here so..."

Bryce tucked away the Kevin thing for later. He supposed he would figure it out sooner or later.

* * *

In order to solve his third case, Bryce needed some help. None of the other agents were close enough for him to trust, although he had been getting to know a few of them.

"Can I hire a CI?" he asked the agent in the desk next to him. Agent Santo, it was.

Santo looked over the case and listened to why Bryce needed the CI. "Sure, did you have someone in mind?"

Hiding his embarrassment, Bryce said, "someone mentioned 'Kevin' to me. Do you think he's busy?" If it hadn't been Chuck, Bryce wouldn't have used a code he didn't fully understand. For all he knew, it could have been a joke. But Chuck wasn't like that. He had to hope that it was something to help.

Thankfully, it seemed that it was a reasonable question to Santo. "I'm surprised you know that name. Sure, if Kevin's free, you can use him. Here, I have a number." He dug around his desk drawers and pulled out and FBI card.

Bryce immediately recognised the number.

* * *

"You're an FBI CI?" he cried out the moment he spotted Chuck that evening. Chuck was sitting at the kitchen island, watching Sarah cook.

"Hi, Bryce," Sarah greeted him, a little confused by his entry.

Chuck started laughing. "I can't believe it took you this long! I thought you'd be all over the 'Kevin' thing the moment you enter the FBI office on your first day!"

"Are you kidding me?" Bryce glared at Sarah. "Did you know about this?"

"I did. After all, I had to look over Chuck. There was no way we'd miss his going out to help the FBI. Although, it was always confusing when he insisted on going behind their backs on a mission."

"Plausible deniability. As a CI, I don't have to reveal my sources and the FBI can't do anything without proof that I've done something illegal. Breaking into crime scenes without invitation counts as illegal."

"Have you done stakeouts with the FBI?" Bryce really wanted to know the answer to this. When Chuck nodded, he added, "how did you stand it?"

"Huh? They're stakeouts. I've done them with the CIA before. They're the same."

Both Bryce and Sarah stared at him. They were not the same at all! The CIA had better equipment and the FBI agents liked bringing stupid food that stunk up the van.

Bryce shook his head as Chuck was a hopeless case.

* * *

Chuck was popular wherever he went. People loved him, Bryce knew that. So it wasn't that surprising when they walked into the FBI office after catching the criminal and everyone greeted him warmly.

"Yo, Kevin!"

"Long time no see!"

"How's the wife?"

"Hey, everyone! I'm good, the wife is great and how are you all?"

Bryce left Chuck to socialise and catch up while he completed his paperwork. He only started paying attention again when his name was mentioned.

"So how did Agent Larkin manage to convince you to help him out?"

"That's easy. He's cooking my wife and I a dinner to die for tonight."

Bryce sighed. He hadn't been comfortable just accepting the favour from Chuck so Chuck suggested that he cook. Sarah had been surprised to hear that Bryce was a good cook and Bryce had been hoping that Chuck had forgotten.

This wasn't New York. He didn't know where to find all the ingredients he liked to use.

"Larkin can cook?"

"Has Larkin met your wife? Be careful man."

Bryce frowned at that last comment. "Why should he be careful?"

The agent in question looked surprised and Bryce wondered why. He was right there, why wouldn't they assume that he could hear everything? Oh no, this is why people thought the FBI were stupid.

"Um... because you're an attractive man..."

"What do looks have to do with it? And are you saying Chuck isn't?"

The agent was getting a lot of looks now. Bryce would feel sorry for him but he had heard this guy make inappropriate comments at random people in the street.

"Chuck trusts his wife and they make a lovely couple. Not to mention, I had my chance with her; Chuck won." He gathered up his files and escaped downstairs for a while.

* * *

Chuck laughed when he saw him.

"I can't believe you did that!" he wheezed. "Did you see their faces?"

"Not really. I was busy making my dramatic exit," Bryce admitted. "What happened?"

"I just explained that we knew each other from college and we were friends before you joined the FBI. I kept names out of it though. By the way, shouldn't you be Agent Larkin-Burke? Not Agent Larkin?"

"Agent Larkin-Burke doesn't roll off the tongue easily." Chuck wasn't convinced and Bryce had to explain properly. "My uncle is a famous agent. I know that a lot of agents look up to him. I'm not going to let people know we're related because I don't want people thinking that I'm using him."

Chuck's eyes grew wide in realisation. "Agent Burke is your Agent Larkin."

"What?"

"I joined the CIA under your shadow. The one of the grand superspy Bryce Larkin who died in the line of duty and it was such a loss, even if people believe you were a traitor the first time."

"Wait, you were comparing yourself to me?"

"Of course! And I wanted to be a superspy just like you, even though it was an unobtainable goal. You were just so cool, could do everything and everyone had a great story about you and loved you."

"Casey didn't."

"Casey has stunted emotions and he at least respected you. Anyway, you were a shiny goal and I didn't want people to know we knew each other because then they'd look at me differently. They'd remember how cool you were and be disappointed with me."

"Chuck-"

Chuck waved him off. "Oh, I'm over that now. I'm just going over it so I can say that; I never realised you had someone like that too a 'superagent Peter Burke'."

"Technically, he's Special Agent."

"Ooh, fancy."

Bryce gave Chuck a flat glare lasting only a couple of moments. Because Chuck was right. He was holding his uncle to a high standard and trying to live up to it.

He didn't want to disappoint anyone.

"How'd you get over it?"

Chuck shrugged. "I just realised one day that I liked my life the way it was and didn't really want yours. Plus, I had my own set of skills, which were saved everyone more than once."

"I don't think I'm going to catch up to my uncle by saving people. This is the FBI."

"Well, no. But you help people and catch bad guys. We caught someone today, didn't we? Just keep going and one day, you might have an FBI record to rival Agent Burke's. Also, you still have your CIA achievements. They don't disappear because you're in the FBI now."

The air was heavy with the words and topic of their conversation. Bryce was feeling very uncomfortable. "Chuck, you sound like a wise old man."

Chuck laughed and dropped the subject by asking what Bryce was planning for dinner.

"I don't know, you're the super spy, you figure it out," Bryce replied. "We'll need to stop for ingredients on the way back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! Here's to a good 2020 (please).   
The end of this chapter went in a direction I hadn't considered until I got there. Hopefully you enjoyed Bryce's and Chuck's little chat.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's probably only one more chapter of this. We'll cover Bryce in the White Collar office and I might do a little short of how his 'father's return' might go in this universe.

Bryce had noticed someone watching him for three days now. He had a feeling he knew who it was but he also could have just been hoping for the best.

He finished work and made his way towards a familiar store. The Buy More. The big building sat across the parking lot, dragging attention away from the small shops to the side. The only thing that could stand alongside it was the Large Mart on the other side.

But the Large Mart didn't have what Bryce was here for.

He slipped into the store, ignoring the barely-present employee who droned out a 'welcome to the Buy More, can I help you?' There wasn't really anywhere to hide in a Buy More. Any place not visible from the entrance had a staff member assigned to it. Bryce didn't expect to go longer than five minutes without someone realising he was here.

He made his way past the TV wall and stopped to look at the prices of a couple of wide screen TVs. A click reached his ears as something rectangular was pressed into his back.

"Is that a pricing gun?" he questioned, trying to keep calm. It was just Casey. Casey and his stupid loud breathing that someone managed to sneak up on him.

So Bryce had hoped that Chuck would find him first.

"Of a sorts," Casey responded in a low voice.

So a modified pricing gun that probably held a real gun.

"I thought Chuck told you I was in town."

"He did. It's a little unbelievable though. You? Joining the FBI?"

"My uncle's in the FBI. It was time for career change. At least the FBI doesn't shoot me like you do."

"That's because they can't aim."

"Hey, Casey! I heard someone asking about you at the front desk!"

Bryce breathed a sigh of relief as Casey growled in distaste but followed the other green shirted employee to the front desk.

"Thanks." He knew exactly who had asked for Casey at the front desk.

"Not a problem," Mozzie said, ducking into view. He was wearing a big biker jacket and aviator sunglasses. As well as the wig. The one that Kate had hated. Honestly, Bryce hadn't liked it either. He didn't get a chance to critique it though as Mozzie continued, "are you trying to die? Because going into the same building as Casey is trying to die."

"I was trying to force your hand, or catch you on camera."

"I won't be caught on these cameras. Everything goes through the CIA computers, which erase any sign of my presence. Plus, I'm wearing these." He motioned to the sunglasses.

Bryce had to admit that it would make identifying Mozzie tricky, unless you knew to look for him in the first place.

"All I had to do was confirm that it wasn't anyone else," Bryce responded with a shrug.

"Point," Mozzie conceded. "I guess you might as well introduce me to the person in charge."

"That'd be Chuck." Bryce walked towards the middle of the store, where the Nerd Herd desk was set up. He could see Chuck sitting behind it, fiddling with something that needed a screwdriver. "Hey, Chuck!"

"Bryce!" Chuck greeted him happily. "What about work?"

"I'm done for the day. If they want me to stay longer, they can pay me or give me more interesting cases. Anyway, I want to introduce you to another friend of mine, Mozzie."

"Agent Carmichael," Mozzie said. Bryce rolled his eyes. Of course Mozzie would be dramatic as possible since Chuck was in the know.

"He's in a similar line of work. The FBI knows him as Mozzie and the other guys, well-"

"That's not important," Mozzie said.

Chuck nodded, even though he already knew. Bryce has seen his eyelids flicker the moment Mozzie spoke. The intersect knew about Mozzie, to the little guy's dismay. He was trying to keep Chuck quiet about his identity.

"Do you want to join us for dinner tonight? I'm sure Sarah would like to meet you."

Mozzie gave Bryce a look.

"You can scan the place for bugs to your heart's content before dinner," Bryce informed him. It was probably the only way Mozzie would feel comfortable in a new location.

"I'll take you up on that offer then."

* * *

Bryce was on a stakeout when there was a slight static sparking over the radio. His partner frowned and adjusted the station to no avail.

"Great," his partner grumbled. Bryce resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Why did so many FBI agents listen to sports while on stakeout?

"Look, I'm going outside for some fresh air."

"Sure. Don't go too far. And give the antenna a jolt while you're out there."

"That won't fix anything."

"But it'll make me feel better."

Bryce shook his head in exasperation but did as he was asked. After all, the agent would be more willing to ignore him if he did as asked.

Getting worked up over the radio meant that the agent missed the 'homeless' man who curled up against the building. Bryce slinked over.

"What are you doing here?" he asked quietly.

Mozzie grinned at him and pointed behind him. There was a familiar white van.

Bryce felt his shoulders slump.

"Great. Chuck's team?"

"You catch on quick."

"I was trained by the best."

"Thank you. Now the best needs you to step aside while we take care of it."

Bryce sighed but waved them off. "I better see the arrest records on my desk tomorrow. I don't care how you get them there."

"I'll get Chuck to deliver them."

Bryce waved over at the truck, knowing that they could see him. "Try not to blow everything up."

Stepping away was difficult but he went back to the car and let the CIA agents handle it. His leg bounced the whole time and he didn't relax until Chuck sent him a message containing a smiley face.

It was the worst stakeout ever. But at least he was able to stay in the car. He was going to hold that over people for the rest of his life.

* * *

Bryce was relieved when he heard that his transfer to New York had been approved. There was little change of the transfer being denied but Burbank was starting to feel small and Bryce didn't want to have to stay much longer. He was grating on his housemates' nerves; probably because he almost ended up stabbing Frost when she visited without telling him. Turning a corner to find Volkoff's best assassin and right hand gal in his house was a 'react first, think later' situation.

He packed up his things, suffered through a goodbye party from the office and then mildly enjoyed the goodbye hosted by Chuck, and moved back into June's. She had been happy to have him return and he wasn't going to be living with his uncle when he didn't have to.

Bryce also managed to move back in a week before Peter expected. Keeping it quiet had been a little tricky because he needed to make sure that Chuck didn't spill the beans.

Then he knocked on the door. El had been surprised to see him.

"I'm back," he said, explaining his surprise. El laughed and gathered up her things. Having a dinner with her two favourite men would be a great way to spend the evening.

* * *

Bryce walked into the White Collar office with El in step beside him. Nothing stopped as they walked up to Peter's office, although Diana and Jones both said a hello.

"Peter!" Bryce greeted happily as he threw open the door. Peter looked away from his computer and took a moment to process what he was seeing. His mouth dropped open for a second before clicking shut. The shocked expression made Bryce grin wider.

"I thought you were coming next week."

"I couldn't wait."

"Lies. You were hoping to catch me off guard. Well done."

"If it's any consolation, I'm taking you and El out for dinner."

"First," Peter said, "did Jones or Diana know?"

"Nope. Chuck was the only person I had to worry about keeping quiet."

"What about Mozzie?"

Bryce gave Peter a 'are you serious' look. "Do you really think Mozzie would tell you anything about my plans? He's still hoping I'll see the error of my ways and go back to gallivanting around the globe with him."

"I mean, you have weekends. Hopefully."

"El!" Peter said in a shocked voice. He didn't want to think about Bryce running around for the CIA again. He had the death certificates and grey hairs from the last time.

Bryce laughed. "I think not. I'm pretty good here for now."

"Don't think I missed the 'for now' at the end of that sentence."

Bryce just grinned back at his frustrated guardian. Even though Peter noticed it, he wouldn't be able to stop Bryce when he decided to do something.

* * *

A week later, Bryce put on one of Byron's suits and walked down to wait for his ride. June was waiting downstairs to see him off.

"Thanks again for the suits."

"It's what Byron would have wanted."

"For a fed to have his clothes?" Bryce joked.

June winked. They both knew it was more than that. "I'm sure he'd appreciate the irony."

"Of course." Bryce's phone beeped. Peter was waiting outside. "That's my lift."

He jumped into the passenger side and immediately reached for the radio. Peter slapped his hand away.

"As I've always told you, when you drive, then we can listen to what you want."

It was a conversation they had many times before. Especially after Bryce got his driver's licence. "I can drive. You don't let me."

"If we're taking my car, I prefer to drive."

"Of course you do."

"Hey, you could always find someone else to take you to work."

"Maybe I will." He might ask Diana or Jones if they could stop by on their way to work. "Or I could just take a bus."

"Not when I can drive you."

Bryce sighed but he had to admit that getting a lift to work was much better than taking public transport. There was no way he was going to get his own car in New York.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it. This is a bit of a finish off chapter, letting you know where it all goes from here. I couldn't not address Neal's biological father so that's the main focus of this chapter. Very little editing because it's late and I'm tired.

No one seemed very surprised or had difficulty accepting Bryce as part of the team. He had expected people to call him 'Neal' instead of 'Bryce' but that rarely happened. It was a completely different atmosphere to when he had last been here as Bryce.

"Peter made sure we knew who you were," Diana explained when he mentioned it.

How would Peter make sure to do that? He would have to show documentation to prove Bryce's identity, something people would remember. Diana had a huge grin on her face too, like there was some joke here.

"Oh no. Don't tell me-" Bryce groaned. "The '_kiddie photos_'?"

"You were a teenager and young adult in most of them," Diana pointed out.

"They're the photos he collected of me growing up. I can't believe he showed them to all of you!"

"Parents do embarrassing stuff. If it helps, he only showed our office. And maybe Ruiz."

"Ruiz too?"

"He was bragging about you. It was nice."

"You mean Ruiz's expression of growing realisation about how he treated Peter's kid was nice," Jones interrupted. He passed Diana a file.

Maybe something good could come out of this whole embarrassing ordeal.

"Okay. Tell me more about Ruiz's reaction."

"He was completely dismissive of Peter at first," Diana said. "But he stopped talking when Peter finally managed to show him the photos. He stared for a while."

"While Agent Burke went through every single story he could think of attached to each photo."

"And then he excused himself without another world. Peter was right in the middle of the story of how you broke your pointer finger."

Bryce sighed at the reminder of that incident from his teenage years. It wasn't too strange; he had hit his finger wrong in PE and broke it. But Peter liked to tell the story while focusing on how Bryce needed help with doing up buttons and how he complained. Not to mention, Bryce's attempts at becoming ambidextrous as he had taken out the pointer finger on his writing hand.

"I'm disappointed I missed that though," he sighed.

"If you had been here, Peter wouldn't have been able to take it as far as he did."

"I have no doubt that the photos would have disappeared sometime through the day," Jones added.

"You're not wrong. Now, I have an idea. Anyone have anything they want taken down to Violent Crimes?"

* * *

Bryce had a file that contained some information on a possible fraud one of Ruiz's people of interest was conducting. He had his badge hanging around his neck as he always did while walking around anywhere outside of White Collar in the FBI building. It wasn't showing off, it was making sure everyone knew he was an agent as most of them had known him only as a criminal.

Instead of smiling, he kept a more serious, neutral expression on his face.

"Is Agent Ruiz in? I have some files from White Collar he might like to look at."

The agent didn't even look higher than the badge on Bryce's chest before pointing towards the upstairs office. Bryce should have figured. The floors were all set up in similar ways and Ruiz had a position similar to Peter in White Collar.

Bryce knocked and then opened the door. "Agent Ruiz?" he questioned as he stepped inside. He kept going, not giving the senior agent a chance to respond. "I'm Bryce Larkin, the new agent in White Collar. Agent Cassidy wanted me to bring you these files?"

Ruiz stared at him for a few moments, looking like he had sucked on a lemon. Then he held out his hand for the files.

So, he was going to be a man of few words, was he? Bryce could play that game too.

"If that's all," he started towards the door.

"Hold on." Ruiz glared at him. "You know you bare a striking resemblance to a known criminal. I find it difficult to believe that you could be hired."

"I have an amazing track record in a similar line of work. Bancroft wanted me to join the FBI and I was bored of my other job."

"I wonder if you could get bored of the FBI then."

"I don't know. I guess we'll have to see. Although I think Uncle Peter would be relieved if I left what he considers to be a dangerous line of work. Is there anything else, Agent Ruiz?" He smiled. This was his con smile but he know it would unnerve Ruiz. It gave him the time needed to make his escape. After all, he had done what he needed to do.

* * *

Peter popped out of his office and gave Bryce the double finger point. Bryce had a feeling he knew what this would be about and even so, he went into Peter's office calmly.

"What did you do to Agent Ruiz?" he asked with his 'you're in trouble' expression.

Bryce kept his expression neutral. "I delivered some files he requested from White Collar."

"Bryce."

"What? I also introduced myself."

Peter wasn't convinced. "Then why did Ruiz call me to request that, in the future, we not waste Agent Larkin's time by sending him down to Violent Crimes?"

"He's the one who made the 'you look like a criminal' comment. I didn't even threaten him."

Peter sighed. "You know he wasn't ready to meet you. He's probably just trying to keep 'Neal Caffrey' away from his office until this is all over. Don't pout Bryce, you're the one who played a criminal for years, you're going to have to expect some people to be a little uncomfortable."

"Uncomfortable, yes. Hostile, no. It's better they get used to it now rather than later. Although, I don't consider a ban from Violent Crimes to be a bad thing."

Peter sighed. His kid was going to be the death of him one day. "You're turning my hair grey."

"I know."

* * *

Peter stared across the table at his nephew. "You're turning my hair grey."

"I realise that. But Ellen's dead, Peter. And Sam thinks he can help me find the guys who did it."

"You're going off the books. That's not okay. Who's this Sam anyway?"

Bryce explained about the person Ellen had been in contact with before she died. About how she wasn't convinced that his father was the criminal he had been painted as. About how he had kept it from Peter until now because he knew that Peter didn't like his biological father.

"El convinced me to talk to you. And-"

"And?" Peter raised an eyebrow at Bryce's hesitation.

This was the part that convinced Bryce to talk to Peter in the first place. "And Mozzie."

It was surprising that the little guy would advocate for talking to Peter. He didn't have the best opinion of the FBI.

This was also a point of worry for Peter. Whatever was going on was bad enough that Mozzie thought the FBI was needed.

"Alright, let's hear it."

"I've invited him to my place." Bryce hummed nervously. "One of the red flags that set Mozzie off was that he insisted there be no feds."

That didn't make any sense. "Bryce, you're-"

Bryce laughed nervously. "Yeah, I know. I'm Fed. Sam doesn't know that. For some reason, he thinks that I'm Neal Caffrey. I mean, I am but he thinks that I'm still going by that name and working with the FBI as a CI, not an agent."

Peter quickly put the pieces together. The only person who could have told Sam about Neal was Ellen. "Ellen didn't trust him."

"Not enough to give the full story on me. Or even the critical information."

"Perhaps so that he wouldn't disappear if something happened to her." Peter cursed. This sounded like dangerous stuff; the kind of cases that crossed Ruiz's desk. "I'll be honest, I don't like this Bryce."

"But?"

"But, you should meet with him. Ellen trusted you to finish this and while she and I had our differences, I would like to know what happened too."

It turned out that Bryce had a plan. The reason he invited Sam to his place was because there was a peephole in the wall. Peter could hide in the room behind it and watch.

"There's a reason I like living at June's so much," Bryce commented with a smirk.

* * *

Bryce met with Sam. He played up being a criminal CI, even wearing a fake anklet that Mozzie put together. He answered to 'Neal' and listened to Sam's stories about his father.

The moment Peter got a good look at Sam, he wanted to rush out and punch the guy. The more Sam talked, the more Peter wanted to gag. His promise to Bryce to only watch and the risk of 'Sam' bolting was enough to keep him still.

Because 'Sam' was not 'Sam'. It was James. Bryce's biological father. The man who Peter would gladly tear from limb to limb, especially as he watched James manipulate Bryce!

Sam left cheerfully, content in the knowledge that everything was going well for him. Peter counted slowly to three and then punched the wall. It felt good to let out some of the tension twisting around his body.

"Okay, I'm guessing this isn't good," Bryce commented as he saw the state of his wall. It wasn't too bad, considering.

"That's not Sam."

"I... kind of guessed from your reaction. Your face is red, Uncle." Bryce left for the kitchen where he poured Peter a drink of water.

The moment the drink was in front of Peter and nothing breakable was in Bryce's hands, he said;

"Bryce, that was your father."

Bryce froze for a moment as he processed that. He wasn't as shocked as he felt he should be. Maybe he already suspected from Peter's reaction? "Well... that certainly changes things. Do you think the story he told me was true? Is he an innocent man?"

"I doubt it. I'm going to ask some questions on the down low-" Bryce shook his head. "No? Bryce-"

"Mozzie's already investigating 'Sam'. I can ask him to look into 'James Bennett' as well."

"You okay?"

"You could have softened the blow a little. It's not everyday I find out my bio-dad was lying to my face."

"I already 'softened' your wall. Don't tell me you didn't at least consider that this could lead to us seeing your father?"

"I thought Sam would lead him to me, but not that he was him."

"How did you survive the CIA again?"

"I didn't."

Peter groaned. "I really didn't need that reminder."

* * *

Mozzie had found out all they needed to know about Sam Phelps. Mostly, that he had turned up dead under strange circumstances.

After that, it didn't take much pressing from Peter to convince Bryce that they needed to arrest James. Bryce asked for another meeting, pretending that 'Neal' was interested in sharing something from Ellen's will.

They told Hughes. Who made sure to emphasise that Peter wasn't allowed to punch James under any circumstances.

Ruiz was called in to help with the arrest. Everyone knew about his disdain for Peter and Bryce, especially Bryce. He would make sure that everything was above board while also being flexible enough to use Bryce and Peter to make the arrest.

Bryce stood in the park with only a rigged tracker on his ankle. There were no agents in the park as they couldn't risk James doing a runner.

Bryce was ready. He could do this. He took deep breaths.

"Jumpy are we?" a deep voice said from behind.

"A little," Bryce admitted with a shy grin. "It's nice to see you again, Sam."

"You too. Now, you mentioned something about a tape Ellen left you?"

"Uh, yeah. It was part of her will. I wanted to know if you knew anything about it before I watched it."

James hummed. "I can't say that she did. Which makes me really curious as to what's on it. Think I could watch it with you?"

Bryce sighed and rubbed his foot against his ankle. The anklet popped off, sending out an alarm to the waiting agents. "I don't know." They had been walking towards the entrance and James was so interested in the conversation that he had missed the danger to himself.

He realised a moment too late, when agents started rushing towards him. Before he could escape, Bryce tackled him to the ground.

James cursed. "This is all that Burke's influence, isn't it?" Which was a rude thing to say about the man who had taken in your son. Peter probably had a point about Bryce's father.

"Really sorry about this." He was only a little sorry. They could have kept James on the line for a while longer and tried to get more information out of him. But Hughes and Ruiz insisted on an arrest. "I'll visit you in prison, maybe?"

James spluttered some more curses as he was led away. Later on, it would be revealed that he had arranged Ellen's death. El was the only one able to voice 'good riddance then,' as Peter and Bryce had both kept their mouths shut about it; afraid of making the other upset by bring the incident up.

The stuff about Ellen's box was true though. Bryce now had a list of people suspected of corruption all those years ago. Many now in seats of power. He was interested in forming a joint FBI-CIA team to look into them.

"I bet you know just the team," Peter sighed.

"I do know just the team." Even if one of them had tried to shoot him. Multiple times. They could still help him get the job done.

"As long as you take care of the paperwork." And there was going to be a lot of it. Enough to keep Bryce working in the White Collar offices for a long time to come.


End file.
